Thomas Cebern Musgrave Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., in 1913. He attended St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, Wis., entered the U.S. Military Academy, graduated June 12, 1935 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry.

After graduating from Primary and Advanced Flying School at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas on Oct. 1, 1936, General Musgrave transferred to the Air Corps. He was assigned to Langley Field, Va., with the 36th Pursuit Squadron until February 1939 when he moved to Wheeler Field, Hawaii with the Sixth Pursuit Squadron, 19th Pursuit Squadron and the 15th Pursuit Group successively. In March 1941 he became chief of the Special Project Sections at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, and that October he transferred to the Gulf Coast Air Corps Training Center Headquarters at Randolph Field.

Moving to the Panama Canal Zone in November 1942, General Musgrave served with the Sixth Air Force, Sixth Bomber Command, 26th Fighter Command, and Sixth Air Force successively at Albrook Field. In December 1943 he was appointed assistant chief of staff for operations of the 58th Bomb Wing at Salina, Kan., and the following month assumed that position with the 73rd Bomb Wing there. He assumed command of the 499th Bomb Group at Clovis, N.M., in February 1944. Later that month he went to the Pacific Theater as commanding officer of the Fifth Bomb Group, 13th Air Force. Wounded in action over the Carolines on April 22, 1944, he was hospitalized until that Aug. 15, and then resumed command of the Fifth Bomb Group.

Transferred to Army Air Force Headquarters at Washington, D.C. in April 1945, General Musgrave was named deputy chief of the Military Personnel Division in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Personnel. He was named executive officer that July, and a year later became executive officer to the commanding general of the Army Air Force. Entering the Air War College at Maxwell Field, Ala., in July 1947, he graduated a year later and assumed command of the 52nd Fighter Wing at Mitchel Air Force Base, N.Y. He entered the National War College in September 1949, graduated the following June, and a month later became deputy Air Force member of the Joint Strategic Plans Committee for Air Force Headquarters.

Joining the Strategic Air Command in April 1952, General Musgrave assumed command of the 47th Air Division at Walker Air Force Base, N.M. Going to England in July 1954, he assumed command of the Seventh Air Division, SAC.

Returning to Washington D.C., Aug. 20, 1955, General Musgrave became Deputy U.S. Representative to the Standing Group, North Atlantic Treaty Organization until Jan. 9, 1956 when he was assigned as deputy director, Manpower and Organization, in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, becoming the director on June 14, 1956.

His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Peruvian Military Order of Ayachucho and the Bolivian Order of Condor of the Andes. He is rated a command pilot.